Review: Cleo Marcie 34G & Briefs in Bluebell

This set was generously provided by Panache for review. As always, all opinions are unbiased and my own and this post was not sponsored.

28-38 D-J

Marcie is one of Cleo's most popular bras, and yet I haven't had the chance to own a set until recently. I have always enjoyed the super uplifted, rounded look that many Cleo bras provide, and when I saw the new 'bluebell' colorway for Marcie I had to have it. I have a soft spot for pastels, specifically this breezy periwinkle and coral combination.

Looks:
I have already mentioned my love of the color, but one thing that surprised me is how delightfully neon the coral color is. It is bright! I think this compliments the soft pastel color quite nicely and keeps it in line with Cleo's youthful, spunky image. The bra is a three-part cup made of a thin mesh with embroidered polka dots. The design of Marcie is quite graphic and unapologetically girly and cute, with scalloped embroidery and bow-shapes that are laser cut to frame the cups perfectly and lie flat against the skin. The embroidery on top has a sort of iridescent shine to it which is quite lovely. There are tiny loops of coral embellishment around the bottom of the band. Plus, the hardware is also coral-colored, giving the whole bra a beautifully cohesive look.

While most of these images are taken in slightly low-light, and are a bit darker, this image is pretty accurate color-wise

Fit:
I feel as though I know Marcie well despite never having owned the set, due to the fact that it is so popular and heavily referenced in communities like A Bra That Fits. Marcie works quite well for my shape, as I have an even distribution of breast tissue on top and bottom. Without enough upper fullness the lace on top may wrinkle and gape, but my tall roots allow the cup to fit snugly. It creates a super lifted, projected, and round shape that is a bit magical―I've never tried a brand that quite does that like Cleo―and Marcie, for the most part, fits like a glove.

One thing you may notice is that my size has been 34GG recently, more often than not. Yet for Marcie I decided to go with 34G. I have found that when Cleo bras cross the G/GG "divide" they change in such a way that does not work as well for me. They tend to have thicker straps and band, fuller coverage with a higher apex, among other things. My hypothesis is that this leads to the bras suddenly being a bit to high in the cup and apex for me, and subsequently become more shallow or more vertical somehow, whereas in 34G Marcie has enough room open on top to allow my breasts to project forward. I have noticed this issue in multiple bras, so I just make a mental note to try both sizes. The band is quite snug as Cleo tends to be, and the wires are fairly narrow yet not too bad for my average-width roots.

Comfort:
In general I think part of what makes the lift and shape of Cleo bras like Marcie so satisfying is the super strong and rigid wires they use. That said, it does sometimes lead to painful poking or pressure because they are so hardcore. I do find the gore a little troublesome and pinching sometimes. If it does not resolve itself after a few wears I will bend the wires out a bit. Marcie isn't the best 'lounging' bra for me, because if I slouch the wires tend to dig into my stomach. Yet out-and-about I find it very comfortable and supportive, since it fits so securely (like a boob-hug!).

Briefs:

This is quite notable--I wear a size large in every Cleo and Panache brief I have ever tried on. Marcie, in my experience, runs a size too small. So I got these briefs in extra large, and they fit quite well. How darling are the ruffles?! The awesome design decisions for the bra are echoed in the briefs, and they looks fabulous as a set.

I have such a soft spot for girly lingerie and Marcie really takes it over the top. While Marcie has many color ways at this point, I think Cleo really hit it out of the park with the bluebell/neon-coral combination. Bluebell is already available on Amazon if you'd like to give it a shot!

2 comments:

Don't you just love the Marcie? It's my obsession/first love in bra-world. The matching undies are so cute too - the ruffles!! Ahhh. The periwinkle/neon combination is really interesting to me, as it almost takes on a grey look. I like this combination of colors and really hope they continue releasing color ways like this, where the bottom edge of the bra is has that accent color. It's fantastic!I really agree about it not being a lounge bra, honestly. I find the wires terrible on the sternum and they always require strategic bending for me. It's a blessing and a curse!!